He inhabits the charisma most associate with the captain of the high school football team as he moves across the stage, strutting audaciously. He’s almost got it all: a beautiful girlfriend, popularity and athletic talent. But all of that’s about
He inhabits the charisma most associate with the captain of the high school football team as he moves across the stage, strutting audaciously. He’s almost got it all: a beautiful girlfriend, popularity and athletic talent. But all of that’s about to vanish if he continues down the road of smoking methamphetamine, or “ice.”
That’s the scene that sets into motion the play “Ripples: My Best Friend is Smoking Ice,” put on by the Hawaii Children’s Theatre and the Pono Players for the community in their rehearsal Puhi warehouse. The show debuted April 15 and has been making the rounds around the island.
The Pono Players is a peer-education troupe, says Executive Director Steve Whitney, president of HCT. Made up of eight actors ranging in age from 15 to 22, the company has tackled the serious issue of crystal meth with fervor, taking their show — which simply includes the players and a colorful backdrop — “wherever it needs to go,” including Kaua‘i High School.
Unique to its format is the improvisational involvement of the audience, the promotion of real resources such as the Hawai‘i Teen Hotline, and the script, created by the players and director.
Players include Cheston Chandler-Borges, Dakota Barnett, Jenna Monroe, Lexi Vilas, Megan Ross, Ralph Guest, Savanah Frisk and Toby Riggle, as well as intern Raina Silver.
